


Once Upon a Dream

by wisia



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, On Hiatus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-22
Updated: 2013-08-22
Packaged: 2017-12-24 07:03:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/936825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisia/pseuds/wisia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Tony gets his Sanctum broken into, Fury assigns him a Catcher. Too bad Tony doesn't want one even if this Catcher happens to be tall, blond and handsome. Alternate Universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Upon a Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Don't look at this to be updated anytime soon. This is posted over on my tumblr (wisiaden.tumblr.com), and I'm taking a break from writing for at least a year. But I thought I should post this over to AO3 as well. So, that's why it's here. 
> 
> When I do get back to writing this, I'll probably fix the second half where the link break is (since on tumblr, it was posted in two parts). No, probably flesh it out some more. I actually mean for this to be a 10K fic. OTL But giving up writing for a year...

 

                Tony crossed his arms. He stared at Fury who gives as good as he got with the one eye.

                "No," Tony said clearly, pronouncing the single syllable so loudly and carefully that there was no mistake about his thoughts. Fury's eye doesn't twitch, lid holding well against blinking because, naturally, they would end up in a no-blink, don't look away staring contest.

                "You don't have a choice, Stark."

                Tony's eyes watered slightly, but he refused to back down. His arms were still crossed, and his fingers clenched into his own skin to a point of bruising. He was not going to blink, and he was not going to give in to Fury's satisfaction.

                "There's always a choice," Tony said blithely. "And that is not an acceptable one."

                It really wasn't, and Tony would cut his own heart out before taking that choice. Fury's lips tightened, and Tony realized he had just looked away. So, he lost that, but Tony wasn't going to move his gaze away from Fury. And Tony definitely wasn't going to look to his left, to where tall, blond and handsome was standing. Steve Rogers might have been his father's best Catcher, but dad was dust, and Tony didn't want father's best. Not when it brought up so many issues that it made his head throb.

                "Actually," Coulson interjected (why was it always Coulson?), "it was the only acceptable choice. you need him, Stark."

                Tony turns his withering gaze onto Coulson, glaring fiercely.

                "I don't need him," he hissed and threw his hands out, unable to keep his body still any longer. Tony jerked a thumb at Steve who was still there and not dead or gone. Just very, very quiet because the man hadn't said more than a few words since they were both called in. Tony could feel him, and it made him wondered just how much energy Steve could radiate? It was like standing next to a furnance.

                "I don't need a catcher," Tony continued. "My Sanctum is chock full of protections and wards. There is no way anyone is getting through them, and so I don't need a catcher."

                And Tony knows his Sanctum is more secure than whatever Fury has got set up here. Tony even has four special guardians that he created himself to deal with unwanted intruders. They were more than adequate security and had saved Tony multiple times. Not to mention, Tony got a great kick whenever anyone learned their names. Because, let's face it. Naming the four guardians after the directions was boring. Jarvis, You, Butterfingers and Dummy was much more unique compared to North, West, South and East.

                "Your Sanctum was broken into," Coulson said calmly and raised an eyebrows as if Tony had forgotten that fact.

                "Yeah, well," Tony shot back, "that's only because they were in maintenance."

                It was really just a special case. Honestly. Tony usually left at least Jarvis in charge, but Jarvis was long overdue for a check-up. Not to mention, Tony had finally found a spell that would tied all four guardians together. It necessitated taking all of them off duty, but Tony wasn't expecting to be attacked or for someone clever enough to get through the usual wards. Coulson looked at him. He had a bland expression on his face, but Tony just knew there was a twitch somewhere in him.

                "Your Sanctum was broke into," Coulson repeated slowly.

                "And that's not going to happen again," Tony said cheerfully. "I'm fine now. Everything has been improved, fixed and tripled checked."

                He waved a hand dismissively at them and turned abruptly on his heel. Then Tony patted Steve's shoulder with the back of his hand without looking as he walked past to the door.

                "Anyway, I don't need you. Sorry that old Cyclops dragged you up here for nothing and I'm just going to go and..."

                Tony trailed off because he wasn't moving any closer to freedom. There was a hand wrapped around his wrist and oh boy, Tony didn't like feeling tiny. He followed the hand up one muscular shoulder and onto Steve's face.

                "Could you, maybe, let go?" Tony asked, irritated. "I have better things to do then to stay here."

                Steve smiled politely. "I'm coming with."

                Tony stared at him. Stared and realized the man wasn't joking at all.

                "No," Tony refused. "You're not coming with."

                He yanked--tried to yank his hand out of Steve's grip. It wasn't happening.

                "Yes, I am," Steve said.

                Fury cut in before Tony could say something crass. "Excellent. Let me know how it goes."

                "Of course," Steve said and marched out, dragging Tony with him.

                "I totally don't agree with this," Tony yelled back. "I'm filing a complaint with the higher ups."

                "You do that." Fury's amused voice drifted after them.

                Steve finally let go of Tony's hand when they reached the outer limits of Tony's Sanctum. It was a one of kind place and only the best place to create dreams. The Starks had been dream weavers for centuries though they operated more on nightmares than anything else until Tony had a life changing moment. In any case, it did meant the Sanctum was literally laced with all sorts of wards and protections. Tony wasn't bluffing about that. He poked Steve hard in the chest.

                "All right. Thanks. You got me home safely. I'll see you, hopefully, never and--"

                "Weaver Stark," Steve said firmly and politely, "I'm not going anywhere."

                Tony blinked. Really, this was getting absurd. One time, one goddamn time when someone broke into his Sanctum, and all of a sudden he needed a dream catcher.

                "Well, it is tradition," Steve mused, and Tony realized he said that out loud.

                "I don't care," Tony said. "I never had one, and I don't need one now."

                Steve frowned as Tony rolled his eyes. Tony knew he was unusual in that regards. Dream weavers often needed a dream catcher because there was no way they could create and defend at the same time effectively. A catcher's job was to chase away anything that could bring harm to the Sanctum (which could just be the area the weaver was working on), the weaver and the sleeper.

                "You never had one?" Steve asked.

                "No," Tony said and discretely pooled a bit of energy in his left hand. "I used to deal with nightmares, so it was kind of pointless. Anyway, you escorted me. So, you did your duty."

                "What?" Steve said, confused.

                Tony hurriedly pressed the energy in his hand to the gate that had suddenly appeared. He slipped through and smiled broadly at Steve who was locked out.

                "Tell Fury, nice try!"

\---------------------

                "There is someone outside your door, Sire. Should I let him pass?"

                Tony shook his head, barely even pausing in his work.

                "Sire?"

                Oh right. Jarvis couldn't see him. Tony should probably find a way around that. He sighed and looked away from the threads in his hand.

                "You know the drill," Tony said, tilting his head at the mirror on the wall. He could see Jarvis' beautiful stone form reflected within. "Help them out of the maze and tell them to go away."

                He returned to his threads. Hm, he was going to need some more blue ones. Running low on those.

                "Sire," Jarvis interrupted him again.

                "What?" Tony eyed the mirror in annoyance.

                "I'm afraid he is literally outside your door."

                "What do you mean?"

                Jarvis sounded a little embarrassed. "He made it through the maze."

                Tony dropped his threads, and they fell into a tangle heap. Tony was too surprised to care, already up and peering at the mirror closer.

                "Show me," Tony demanded. The mirror shimmered as Jarvis faded out of view to reveal Catcher Steve Rogers. He was standing at Tony's door as Jarvis said, and Tony squinted. He could make out the edge of Jarvis' figure, and his lips were moving. Probably buttering up his guardian was Tony's guess. Then, Tony cursed the fact that he had no sound. He needed to find a spell for that too.

                "How did he get in?" Tony asked. It took a minute before Jarvis responded.

                "He walked."

                "I know that," Tony huffed. It wasn't like the man was going to crawl his way through the maze. But it was a maze! Only Tony and two other people knew how to navigate it. And Steve sure as hell wasn't a fiery red head or a dark skinned soldier. "And you better not be cozying up to him."

                "I wouldn't dream of it, Sire."

                Tony scratched his chin. "How long has he been out there?"

                "Not that long. About a few minutes," Jarvis replied.

                "Let him wait," Tony said, returning to his desk. He scooped the threads off the ground and groaned. Untangling that was going to be a bitch.

                "Sire," Jarvis reprimanded because he had manners even though Tony never taught him.

                Tony tapped his leg with the fingers of his free hand. "Oh, fine. Let him in."

                He tossed the tangled threads into a basket. He didn't really like sorting out threads anyway.

                "Direct him to the...the kitchen! Wait. No. I'll have to feed him. Um..."

                "He's waiting at the door."

                "Didn't you let him in?" Tony rolled his shoulders and started walking down the hall.

                "He insisted. He said it would be rude to wander through even if directed by me."

                Tony arched one eyebrow. "Okay. You keep an eye out for any other people that wants to stroll in. And make sure Dummy didn't set fire to any of the plants. They're expensive to replace."

                "Of course, Sire." And Tony swore Jarvis would have rolled his eyes if he could have.

                Steve stood at the door, and he smiled at Tony innocently. As if he didn't get through the maze or the gate.

                "Weaver Stark," Steve greeted.

                "Yeah, yeah," Tony said and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "How did you get through the maze?"

                "I walked." Steve grinned, and Tony eyed him suspiciously as if he had conspired with Jarvis for that. Then, Steve rubbed the back of his head with one hand as his smile slipped off into a bashful one. "I worked with your dad before, and we came through that way. I remember."

                And that made Tony want to slap himself in the face.

                "Right," Tony said and shifted uncomfortably. "Good for you. Now get out."

                He tried to push Steve towards the door, but the man wouldn't budge at all. Steve was literally a block of muscles.

                "I'm afraid not," and Steve smiled again. Why was this guy always smiling? It was starting to bug Tony in all the right ways. It made him want to cuddle the man for looking so adorable and--

                "Why are you so insistent?" Tony asked, cutting off that line of thought.

                "Because you need a Catcher."

                "Is that a proposal?" Tony leered at him, eyes travelling up Steve's form. It should be enough to turn the man off.

                "What? No!" Steve sported a bright red flush that went from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. Huh. Interesting.

                "I just--," Steve fumbled to explain. "You do brilliant work, Weaver Stark. And I want to protect that."

                "Uh-huh," Tony said skeptically. Steve was so earnest that Tony felt sorry for him. "That's nice and all, but I don't need a Catcher. I have never had one in all my years, and I don't need one now."

                "Weaver Stark. How do you know you don't need one if you never had one?"

                Tony opened his mouth and closed it. He was gaping like a fish, and Steve had a victorious look in his eye. Tony scowled.

                "Fine. One week. Once you see I can manage just fine without you, you can skedaddle."

                Tony could probably chase him out in three days.

                "One month," Steve countered.

                "One week," Tony stressed.

                "Three weeks."

                "Two weeks and that's final."

                Steve considered it and shrugged. "Two weeks."

                He held his hand out for Tony to shake. Tony took it. Steve's hand was ridiculously large and warm.

                "Thank you." And there was that smile again. Tony hated his life sometimes.


End file.
